Lamprophyres (from the Greek lampros, ‘glistening’ + porphyros ‘porphyry’) are rare and poorly understood ultrapotassic hypabissal rocks that occur only as dikes. Even though they share similarities with some kimberlites and lamproites, they cannot be separated easily from other plutonic rocks using the QAPF diagram or the TAS classification. These rocks consist largely of porphyric femic minerals (color index M = 35-90%) and contain feldspars and/or feldspathoids that are confined to the groundmass. They usually contain biotite, phlogopite, and/or amphibole, and sometimes clinopyroxene and olivine. Igneous minerals can be associated with hydrothermal minerals, like calcite and zeolites, and can show widespread evidence of hydrothermal alteration. Through the years, several names have been proposed to classify different lamprophyre types, producing a “legion of obscure rock types named after equally obscure European villages” (Rock, 1990). At present, the IUGS – Subcommission of Systematics of Igneous Rocks does not endorse most of these local terms, encouraging the classification that follows. An in-depth description of lamprophyres and their local names is available at Alexstrekeisen.it.

Classification
The classification of lamprophyres is based on:
1) the most abundant light-colored constituents (alkali feldspar, plagioclase, or feldspathoids);
2) the predominant mafic minerals (biotite, hornblende, augite, olivine, or brown amphibole).

When alkali feldspar > plagioclase and no foids are present, a lamprophyre is:
-a minette if biotite > hornblende, augite and/or olivine;
-a vogesite if the mafic minerals are hornblende, augite, and/or olivine.

When plagioclase > alkali feldspar and no foids are present,:
-a kersantite if biotite > hornblende, augite and/or olivine;
-a spessartite if the mafic minerals are hornblende, augite, and/or olivine.

If feldspathoids are present, a lamprophyre is:
-a sannaite, if alkali feldspar > plagioclase and feldspars > foids;
-a camptonite if plagioclase > alkali feldspar and feldspars > foids;
-a monchiquite if there are no feldspars, but only glass or foids.

Sannaite, camptonite, and monchiquite typically contain brown amphibole, Ti-augite, olivine, and/or biotite.